The Scene in the Sushi Bar
by moon71
Summary: After returning from Kyoto still unmarried, Eiri accepts that Shuichi is now a permanent part of his life. But he's determined to conduct the relationship on his own terms, and a party invitation seems the best place to start. FINAL CHAPTER!
1. Eiri and Shuichi

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **After the returning from Kyoto with his engagement to Ayaka in ruins, Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, so he comes up with an idea to protect them both from being hurt. A party invitation offers the chance for him to implement his master-plan, but the night is very young…

**MOON BLABS ON BECAUSE SHE LIKES IT: **This story is in the list with "Persistence" and "Jilted John" inasmuch as it was one of those ideas that arrived in my head early and caused me a great deal of pain, writing-wise, as it came to life. After much revising and editing of the plot in my notebooks and in my head, including a good deal of simplification, cutting out certain scenes and characters, it was finally born. I'm pleased with the result – I hope you enjoy it.

**TIMELINE: **Anime or manga-verse, doesn't matter! Some time shortly after the end of Eiri's engagement to Ayaka.

**RATING: **T (a bit of kissing, mention of sexy goings-on)

**WARNING FOR FANATICS: **To the die-hard misogynistic yaoi fan: danger of heterosex!! Yes! Eiri actually thinks about doing it with a _woman! Shocking!_

**WARNING FOR O/C HATERS: **There are several of them in this story. If any of them are taken for Mary Sues, someone please forward me the number of Eiri's psychiatrist.

**WARNING FOR EVERYONE ELSE:**For the rest of you – warning of unnecessary sarkiness on the part of the Moon71, who has to go to work tomorrow and is thus in a sour mood. Hey, it's not easy being a grown-up with a husband and a mortgage…

**DISCLAIMER: **I disclaim all responsibility for this story.

**DEDICATION: **Hmmmm… how about to all those lovely people whose stories I've reviewed and who still haven't updated… do you recognise yourselves…? I'm waaaaiiiiiiitinnnnng…!

"You look really cool, Yuki…"

Eiri acknowledged the compliment with a vaguely affirmative grunt as he brushed a few stray particles of lint from his expensively tailored black jacket. He did not bother to turn around; he could see Shuichi's reflection quite clearly in the hall mirror and that was more than enough to set his teeth on edge. That wistful gaze, that wavering smile – he wasn't having any of it. This night was too important.

"Yuki, I was thinking…"

_Here we go again._ "The answer's _no, _kid_._ Get over it."

"But – Yuki!" Shuichi spluttered indignantly, "you don't even know what I'm going to say, yet!"

Eiri smirked at Shuichi's mirror image. "You're going to come out with another lamebrain excuse to get me to take you with me. The answer is _no."_

"But the invitation said – "

"Was your name on it?"

"Well, no, but I really think Mizuki – "

"Forget it." Eiri adjusted the collar of his maroon silk shirt and reached for his car keys. "Trust me, you won't enjoy it. It will just be drinks with a load of boring old farts. I wouldn't go myself if Mizuki hadn't offered me an extension on my deadline."

Even as he said the words he felt his irritation rising. _Now_ what did the little moron have him babbling? Why was he making excuses? Wasn't the whole point of this night to put his whole relationship with Shuichi back in perspective before things went too far?

Eiri didn't actually want to hurt him – didn't want to drive him away. It was too late for that now. He had admitted that to himself not long ago, though he was damned if he'd ever admit it to Shuichi. He just wanted to impose some reality on the situation. They _weren't _a couple, whatever Shuichi – or Mizuki – seemed to think, and they never would be. But that didn't mean they couldn't… well… have the pleasure of each other's company… for as long as the attraction lasted…

It just meant that some new ground rules had to be laid down; some precedents set. Some perspective recovered. Retreat and regroup, work out a new plan of attack. Damage limitation. Whatever!

"But what I am I going to do with myself all evening?" Shuichi whined.

Eiri restrained himself from uttering the first suggestion which came to mind. "Do what you did before you met me, y'damn brat! Practise your music! Watch your Nittle Grasper videos! Go out with Nakano! Take some of your own advice and go and see your parents!"

Shuichi's shoulders slumped. "It was different before I met you… it was like I was living in a dream. It's like… like… you came and woke me, that night in the park…"

"Yeah right," Eiri scoffed, "like you're Sleeping Beauty and I'm Prince Charming!"

"Prince who?"

Eiri waved his hand dismissively. This conversation had to end quickly. There were times when Shuichi seemed almost wilfully ignorant and thoughtless, but there were other times, like just now, when it was as though he had access to Eiri's most private musings_. Living in a dream… you came and woke me… _He had to get out of here while the boy was still in this pensive mood. He thrust open the front door.

"But wait, Yuki, hear me out," Shuichi cried, brightening ominously, "what I was thinking was, what if I turned up after you? An hour or so later, maybe? Then no-one will think we're a couple – we could just say we met through Seguchi-san! Oh, _please,_ Yuki – we never go out anywhere together and I really like Mizuki-san and I've never been to a cocktail party before… I promise I won't embarrass you, I won't have any alcohol and I won't try to touch you or anything and I won't tell Mizuki-san's friends that we're…"

"_Enough!" _

The sharp tone silenced Shuichi at once. He finally appeared to have learned, not without great difficulty, that when Eiri used it he was in real danger of ending the night on Nakano's couch. He lowered his eyes sadly, drawing back.

"Sorry, Yuki…"

Eiri hesitated. A quick kiss, perhaps, just to let Shuichi know he wasn't angry…

No. No, no and _no._ Ground rules, ground rules!

Suddenly, quite without warning even to himself, he turned back. "Shuichi… have you heard of a mangaka called Nakamura Junichi?"

Shuichi gave a puzzled frown, apparently taken aback by such a random question. "I… don't think so, Yuki…"

The slight tightness in Eiri's chest loosened. "See you in a few – "

"Wait – hang on!" Shuichi's expression cleared. "Didn't he write _Tokyo Blood-Night?_ I'm so crap at remembering author's names! I always go by the titles! Yeah, that was really cool! Man, it seems ages since I've had time to read any mangas… why did you want to know, Yuki?"

Without bothering to answer, Eiri stormed out into the hallway and slammed the door behind him.

**TBC: **_**CHAPTER 2 – EIRI AND MIZUKI: **__Eiri considers his master-plan for a happy future with – and without – Shuichi, and the whys and wherefores of how it came about…_


	2. Eiri and Mizuki

DEAR DORA

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, but that doesn't mean they're a couple. When he gets a party invitation he hits on a formula to get his life back to normal, but will he be able to have his cake and eat it, or will it all go pear-shaped?

**CHAPTER 2: EIRI AND MIZUKI -** As he sets off to Mizuki's party, Eiri recalls the day he received the invitation and his reasons why he decided to go…

**NOTES: **As always, a huge thank you to all who reviewed. To **lilgurlanima – **I hope this chapter will answer your question… at least in part! To **Scorch66 **your review in particular made me laugh out loud – I can't, of course, say you're right, or that would spoil the plot, but… well anyway, while I don't particularly Shuichi being the butt of jokes in fanfics, I think Eiri can stand a bit of humiliation… nothing too painful…

* * *

Once he had steered his car out of the underground parking lot and started up the road, Eiri rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. An hour or so paying court to Geisha Girl and her Manga Boy, just enough to honour his little deal with Mizuki. Then he could get on with the real business at hand. He had been telling himself that all afternoon, yet he still could not shake the tension out of his body.

He was still angry with Mizuki; he could feel it, even though he knew the anger was largely irrational. She seemed to have her own little agenda where his private life was concerned – especially when it came to Shuichi, who she had taken an inexplicable but instant shine to – but she had explained that clearly enough…

"Shindou-san really does seem to be a positive influence on you, Yuki-san," she had said the afternoon she had brought the invitation. Eiri could quite clearly see her now, seated on his sofa in a neatly tailored, pale yellow suit, her shapely legs crossed, sipping the coffee he had made her. "Your work – and your working habits – have continued to improve since you met him, and your general demeanour has changed a little too. Your gentler, less hostile manner in your last interview was very well received by your readers, and… if you don't mind me saying so…" she smiled playfully at him, "you seem… happier, in yourself."

"Well hurray for me," Eiri had grunted irritably, crushing out the second cigarette he had smoked since her arrival less than an hour ago. "What were you saying about a favour?"

Mizuki's smile became just a little arched. Reaching into her handbag, she took out an envelope and handed it to him. "You remember Sato Shiho, of course?"

Eiri remembered his fellow author well enough – he had even skimmed through one or two of her novels. Most of them were set in the so-called Floating World of the Yoshiwara pleasure district in seventeenth century Edo and tended to have long, melodramatic and highly romantic plots about its denizens, most often scheming, upwardly mobile merchants and beautiful geishas with very involved love lives. Her historical research appeared to be impeccable, but her improbably happy endings irked him.

"What about her?"

"Well, she's managed to get herself engaged – to none other than the mangaka Nakamura Junichi! "

"Never heard of him," Eiri responded testily. What did Mizuki expect him to do – send a wedding present?

"Oh, he's a very sweet young man," Mizuki enthused. "Some of my cattier colleagues might put the emphasis on the word _young, _but I can't imagine Shiho worrying unduly about something like that! At any rate, he's very successful in his own right. An attractive young prodigy, one might say - rather like you, Yuki-san, though his work probably wouldn't appeal to your readership, so you needn't worry about competition! It's all very fast paced action-adventure stuff, full of evil warlords and ninjas with magical powers… perhaps Shindou-san has read some of his books…?"

"I wouldn't know. Is there a point to this?"

Mizuki sighed ruefully, evidently guessing that Eiri was in no mood for playful banter. "The point, Yuki-san, is that the publishing house is throwing an engagement party for them, and the Chief Editor was particularly keen for all of our most popular authors to be there. And as you're probably the best known of all… not to mention being young, handsome and male – not common characteristics amongst romance writers…"

"Let's cut to the chase," Eiri said impatiently, allowing a small smile to tug at his lips. "What's in it for me?"

Mizuki gave a small shrug. "Aside from good food and amusing company? A generous extension on your deadline…"

"How generous?"

Eiri's editor looked down into her coffee cup, then glanced impishly up at him once more. "That depends on how charming you are, Yuki-san! For various reasons the publishing house is very eager to impress the young lovers, and if you help us do that… well… you remember that scene in the sushi bar you were so determined to keep? I think I could arrange to have it left in after all…"

Eiri scowled. He had been very proud of that scene, with its long, detailed and highly symbolic descriptions of each dish the hero and his treacherous elder brother ate; Mizuki had admitted it was good, but the Chief Editor had insisted it was irrelevant and should be cut down to almost nothing. But before he could make a firm decision on whether it was worth enduring a publisher's cocktail party for, Mizuki had wandered off on what seemed a sentimental tangent.

"Actually, Yuki-san, why _don't_ you bring Shindou-san along with you? I really think he'd enjoy himself, and I wonder if he _has _read some of Nakamura-san's books? I remember him saying he'd read something similar… and I have a feeling Nakamura Junichi is into the same sort of music as Shindou-san's band plays…"

"I'll think about it," Eiri said abruptly, getting to his feet. Taking the hint, Mizuki smiled once more and gathered up her papers. He had almost got her to the door before there was the dreaded click of a key turning in the lock and Shuichi breezed in, calling Eiri's name with his usual enthusiasm before he caught sight of Mizuki.

"Shindou-san!" Mizuki greeted him cheerfully, "we were just talking about you, weren't we, Yuki-san?"

"Were you really…?" Shuichi's eyes brightened with happiness.

Eiri glared at him.

"Don't forget to tell Shindou-san about the party…" Mizuki managed to get out before Eiri had successfully hustled her out of the door and closed it behind her.

"Party? What party?" Shuichi chirped, "are we going to a party, Yuki?"

"No we damn well aren't," Eiri snapped, grabbing up the invitation before Shuichi could look at it. "Order a takeaway if you're hungry tonight, I've got work to do."

"Oh – sure, Yuki, but – "

"Just shut up now, I've got a headache. I'm going to lie down, so don't disturb me."

Eiri turned away quickly so he couldn't see the hurt look in his lover's eyes. He hadn't intended to be that rude – it was nothing Shuichi had done, after all.

Nothing he had done directly…

But when he had finally lain down upon his bed, thrusting an arm over his face to blot out what light remained in the room, he had finally allowed a growing discomfort to take shape in his mind. What Mizuki had just tried to do – treat him and Shuichi as a couple – was a good warning of what might be to come. It wasn't just that a new round of speculation and gossip was surely inevitable; it was more personal than that. If people who knew them began to treat them as a pair, it would only intensify Shuichi's belief that Eiri really was… _his._

All right – Eiri had encouraged him once; briefly. _I'll belong to you._ But that had been before Aizawa – before the end of his engagement. Before he had told him about his past. As far as Shuichi appeared to be concerned, the crisis had hit them and they had come through it. Now they could return to normal. But for Eiri the real crisis still seemed as though it was waiting to happen. He wanted to return to normal too – but his version of normal was very different from Shuichi's.

And lying there, blocking out the light, it came to him how _his_ normal - a safe, low-voltage compromise - could be achieved.

Eiri glanced up as his phone chirruped briefly from its pocket on the car's dashboard, advising him that a message had been received. For a moment he thought it might be Shuichi, having one last go at persuading him, and he felt an odd pang. But a quick look at the screen told him otherwise. He frowned very slightly. Giving her his mobile number was a small risk, but these days getting a number changed – or a new SIM card – was not a great expense. He waited until he had parked outside Mizuki's before he opened the message.

_Looking forward to tonight. See you 8.30. Ayano._

Typical woman's behaviour – always looking for confirmation in the most subtle ways. He wouldn't bother texting her back – not too quickly, anyway. If his instincts about her were right, she'd find some excuse to call him before he was due to arrive. He had been half tempted to invite her to the party just to spite Mizuki, but now he was glad he hadn't. Pest though he could be, Shuichi didn't deserve that. This was supposed to be a gentle prod, not a slap in the face.

And besides, there was that scene in the sushi bar at stake…

**

* * *

**

TBC:

_**Manga Boy and Geisha Girl – **_Eiri arrives at the party… and his fortunes begin to plummet down hill… 


	3. Manga Boy and Geisha Girl

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, but that doesn't mean they're a couple. When he gets a party invitation he hits on a formula to get his life back to normal, but will he be able to have his cake and eat it, or will it all go pear-shaped?

**CHAPTER 3: MANGA BOY AND GEISHA GIRL –** Eiri arrives at Mizuki's party to fulfil his part of the bargain. But it seems as though Mizuki wasn't telling the whole truth. From then on the evening progresses downhill…

**DISCLAIMER: **Ha, ha! **Bakayarona **over on Gurabite has just told me there is a real Nakamura Junichi – an ice sculptor! Well there you go! My one, however, is an invention. Obviously all the names came from somewhere, most of them Japanese customers of mine whose names I eagerly appropriated with a few favourite actors or characters from films or old school friends thrown in. But the characters are all mine!

**NOTES: ****MARY SUE?! WHO THE HELL IS SHE?** To **Hika (and to anyone else having doubts) – **no offence, but do you really, _really_ think I'd write a Mary Sue? I'm always whining about how much I hate anything like that! I get nauseous even at the prospect of Hiro / Shu, and anything more non-canon than that brings my dinner back up. Please just read the story! I promise all will be explained!!

**AND JUST ONE OTHER THING: **This story is really more romance / humour than romance / drama; I just didn't want to call it that and then have people say "yeah, but it wasn't funny!" This is NOT, NOT, NOT a hurt / comfort Eiri-cheats-on-Shuichi-then-has-to-grovel-back type scenario! To put it in crude terms (sorry for those supposed to be too young for this, but if you're too young what are you doing here anyway? Eh? Eh?) this is less about Eiri's balls and more about his heart! Geddit?

**OTHER STUFF: **To **Dark Metal Angel… **well, things aren't good now, but Shuichi will have the last laugh, as he always should do! For me, Shuichi triumphant is the whole point of Gravitation! Eiri just has to take it and like it! To **Scorch66 – **Eiri's problem is really to do with avoiding getting hurt… but then I'll let him explain his reasoning in the next chapter. Which he will do, at length, _ad nauseum_, because I think writers do tend to analyse too much. Tohma noted in Vol 1 of the manga that Eiri's selfishness allowed him to oversimplify – I think it tends to make him play out too many possible scenarios, all of them bad! Last of all to **Orangepencils - **I wanted to show Eiri thinking like a writer - how a scene can be in your head for ages before you find somewhere to use it. (It was partly inspired by a anecdote from mystery writer PD James, who said that when she was first getting started, her editor cut a scene about a window she really liked. Years later, when she was famous enough to call the shots, she used it in a different novel!) **AND TO ALL OF YOU - THANK YOU!!**

* * *

Mizuki's large, fashionable flat was filled with an atmosphere of inviting warmth which seemed to reflect her own friendly welcoming nature – at least the nature she most often displayed. The rosy lighting, the light fragrance of jasmine and patchouli, the pastel tones, tasteful silk prints and classical Japanese music all combined to make her guests feel as if they were at an informal family gathering rather than a business-related cocktail party. Shuichi would have probably been quite relaxed here.

Eiri, however, was not.

"Yuki-san!" Mizuki greeted him with a small bow, smiling radiantly, her red lipstick matching the sleeveless scarlet cocktail dress which flattered her petite figure. "Oh, thank you," she added cheerfully, accepting his gifts of flowers and wine. "How very lovely… "

Eiri noted the glance she stole over his shoulder. "Looking for someone?"

"Did Shindou-san have other plans?" Mizuki asked diplomatically.

Eiri met her gaze without blinking. "I don't know, I didn't ask him."

Something sharp flashed in his editor's eyes and for a brief moment the smile evaporated from her face. "Didn't you get my messages yesterday?"

Eiri drew out a packet of cigarettes. "I must have missed them. I had the phone turned off all day… I was working."

"What a shame…" Mizuki did not bother to hide her scepticism. Though her expression quickly cleared once more, there was now a more obviously spurious brightness in her manner. Judging it to be a ridiculous overreaction, Eiri did his best to ignore it as he followed her into the lounge, glancing politely around the room.

Because, as Eiri had long ago acknowledged, the gods hated him for his refusal to follow his father's vocation, the first person he made eye contact with was a female mangaka by the name of Ono Fujiko.

The first time he had attended a publisher's cocktail party – to celebrate the release of his début novel - she had begged him to pose for her, insisting he was the living personification of the hero she had in mind for her latest shonen-ai manga and reassuring him that there was nothing graphic in her work – "only a little kissing and a bit of subtle suggestion." Back then Eiri had been too new to the high-pressured world of Tokyo to risk giving one of his now infamous tongue lashings to an older, more established and above all _female_ author. He had only managed to escape from her that night after telling her his father was a priest who considered all shonen-ai blatant pornography and would put a curse on her for the suggestion.

The worst aspect of Ono Fujiko's loud and aggressive approach was that throughout the ordeal Eiri had had the sneaking suspicion that she was quite aware of his discomfiture and was actually taking a sadistic delight in it. While there were many women who were instantly attracted to him, there were some – the more discerning ones, his sister would have said in her more vitriolic moments – who seemed to despise him almost on principle. He had never been able to decide into which category Fujiko fell.

Any hope she had failed to recognise him this time was dashed when her eyes immediately lit up with an almost predatory gleam and she waggled her fingers at him. "_Yoo-hoo_ – Yuki-_san! _Over _here…!"_

_All right, all right, I give in, _Eiri thought with something embarrassingly close to desperation, _I'll stand up Ayano, I'll go home to Shuichi, I'll buy him red roses and I'll propose to him on bended knee, but please just let Ono Fujiko drop dead before she can reach me…_

The gods apparently decided on a compromise. Back at his side almost instantly, Mizuki threw an angelic smile at Fujiko and steered Eiri gently but firmly in the direction of a tall, slender young man dressed completely in black – right down to a black shirt, black silk necktie and what looked like obsidian cufflinks. His long, sleek black hair was tied at the back of his neck with a simple ribbon – black, of course. _Pretentious git, _was Eiri's immediate and damning verdict; _has to be Manga Boy. Probably too stuck up his own arse to realise how affected that getup looks…_

He was right about the man's identity at least, but when Mizuki introduced them and he turned and bowed with formal depth to Eiri, the young man's gaze was shy. His eyes reminded Eiri a little of his brother Tatsuha's – so densely black that when they caught the light they almost seemed a dark blue. "I'm truly honoured to meet you, Yuki Eiri-san…" Nakamura Junichi said politely, his voice low and soft. His skin was a deep bronze – dark even for a Japanese native, but to Eiri's amazement, there was actually the smallest hint of a blush on his cheeks as he addressed him. "I have heard your name so often… my girlfriend Shiho is a great admirer of your work…"

"_Girlfriend…?"_ There was a musical laugh from behind them, and in the next moment, Sato Shiho padded over to them in her soft slippers, greeting Eiri with a polite bow and an amused glance. "Is that all I am now, Junichi-san?"

"Forgive me, Shiho-chan," Junichi said with a bashful smile, lowering his eyes, "I meant to say, "my dear fiancée," of course…"

"Well I suppose I can forgive you…" Shiho said with an elaborate sigh. "It's good to see you again Yuki-san – my reticent fiancée is right in one thing… I do still enjoy your novels very much. But I have to confess I'm surprised to see you – deeply honoured, of course, that you're here for us," she added as if on an afterthought, "but a little intrigued, too…" She leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially in his ear, "what was it in your case? Bribery or blackmail?"

"That's enough out of you, Shiho-san," Mizuki scolded, and an affectionate but knowing look passed between the two women. "Isn't it enough that Yuki-san is here at all? He's been very hard at work these last few weeks…"

Eiri studied Sato Shiho for a moment. She was smaller in height than Mizuki – in fact she would probably only come up to Shuichi's shoulder – and had a curvaceous figure bordering on plumpness which seemed well suited to the kimono she wore – a pale mint green frosted with a silver-white snowflake pattern; if not real silk, then certainly a good imitation. He would never have called her a beauty, even with her simple but carefully applied make-up – in fact, if he had met her in a context where he was looking for female companionship, he would have dismissed her as irredeemably plain. But her real attractions lay not in her face or her figure, but in her confident, playful manner, her easy laughter and her natural wit, dry without being acidic.

"Let me get you something to drink, Yuki-san," Mizuki offered graciously. "Would you like a cocktail?"

"Something soft," Eiri answered without meeting her gaze again, "I'm driving."

"How… very responsible…" Mizuki sauntered away.

Swallowing his rising irritation, Eiri turned back to the lovers who were exchanging a dreamy glance, their faces soft with love, momentarily blind to all but one another. They made a slightly odd couple – Junichi so callow and deferent while Shiho, surely at least five years his senior, was self-confident to the point of sauciness. But then again, they made no stranger a pair than he and Shuichi, and they were obviously very comfortable together. As he watched them it occurred to him, seemingly from nowhere, that when Shiho and Junichi were alone – when Shiho sighed and laughed and blushed in the arms of her lover and thought and cared about no-one but him – that then she might truly become beautiful.

It was a good enough line for one of his novels and, ever the writer, Eiri stored the thought away in his creative brain. He had never done a plain, Jane Eyre type heroine before; the idea had potential. But for some absurd reason the idea of Shiho transfigured by passion then made him think of Shuichi, smiling up at him with beautiful, shining eyes as they… made love. And he quickly pushed the thought away.

"So how did you two meet?" he asked, for something to say.

"Oh! Now there's the real story, isn't that right, Ju?" Shiho laughed. "As a matter of fact, we met in the library! Ju-kun was doing some research for one of his mangas, and he wanted information on the Floating World – presumably so he could have lots of poor geishas meeting horrible deaths at the hands of his evil mutant demons – and when he saw the books I was borrowing he asked me for some advice! Well once I saw him, I simply couldn't let him get away…"

Shiho-Chan…!" Junichi protested weakly, avoiding Eiri's eyes.

His fiancée patted his arm comfortingly. "All right, I did promise to behave. Seriously, though, we found we had a lot in common, and by the end of the day we'd begun speculating on a joint project! I mean – I never imagined myself writing about magic or evil spirits or anything like that; I took myself _far_ too seriously to deal with what I considered such frivolity… but I'm sure you know what it's like to have an idea that won't lie down and die, Yuki-san… it's working title is _Death in the Floating World._ Do you think it packs enough of a punch?"

There was a teasing look in Shiho's dark eyes which made Eiri wonder if he was really supposed to take any of this seriously. But as Mizuki returned with a glass of fruit punch for Eiri and picked up the thread of the conversation, he caught an odd look from her which he did not quite understand. It looked rather like frustration – but it also looked like regret.

"I must say, Yuki-san," Shiho finally changed the subject, "I was very impressed by your last novel, _Cool. _I was telling Kanna the same thing only a few days ago… I mean I've always admired your work, even though I think you're quite unmerciful to your poor characters… but this was… different. Not least the ending – now that was a pleasant surprise! Your main lovers were such deep, three-dimensional personalities that I actually think my heart would have broken if you hadn't allowed them some happiness! It almost felt as though… well… as though you'd suddenly granted them a reprieve at the last moment… though I'm sure if you're anything like me, you know how the story ends before you know how it starts…"

Eiri glanced warily toward Mizuki then, half expecting to see her eyeing him with a knowing look. But she had drifted away. He had actually begun to relax enough to enjoy the conversation when Shiho suddenly gave her fiancée a playful nudge. "Wasn't there something you wanted to ask Yuki-san, Ju?"

Junichi shifted uncomfortably. "Oh… well, if you don't mind, Yuki-san…"

Eiri tensed. If Mizuki had got him here so that Manga Boy could propose some sort of collaboration – even a three-way effort on _Death in the Floating World –_ he would wring her slender neck and then look around for a new publishing house.

"Uh – is it true that you're the brother-in-law of Seguchi Tohma…?"

Eiri nearly choked on his drink.

"F-Forgive me, Yuki-san," the young man continued quickly, "I didn't mean to pry into your personal business… it's just that I'm a real fan of Nittle Grasper, and now that Sakuma Ryuichi has returned to Japan, I was wondering if the rumours about the band reforming are true…"

Recovering himself, Eiri once again glanced about the room in search of Mizuki, but she now had her back to him.

"Junichi hasn't been able to think of anything else since Sakuma-san turned up at Ask's concert," Shiho was saying cheerfully, "that was quite a night! Yuki-san, you _should_ have been there!"

_Should I, indeed. _Perhaps he should be grateful Mizuki hadn't already told them that he _had_ been. "You're a fan of Ask too?" Eiri asked Junichi, unable to keep the chill out of his tone.

"Oh – not so much," the mangaka answered carefully, then added with a smile, "I really only went because Shiho fancied Maa-kun."

Shiho shrugged breezily. "Well, I _did…_ but after that night, he began to have some pretty stiff competition from that _lovely_ Nakano Hiro…"

"Shiho has a thing for guitarists…" Junichi grinned.

"Or just boys with long hair…" Shiho retorted with a nod to her boyfriend's ponytail.

"But I have to agree with her about Nakano-san! Bad Luck are great! I couldn't get tickets to their first solo gig, but I've heard they're going on tour fairly soon…"

Eiri excused himself then, truthfully in need of a smoke. He stepped out onto the large patio and breathed in a large gulp of fresh air before lighting a cigarette and inhaling an equally large dose of nicotine. He barely had time to make sense of all he had just heard when his phone rang, right on schedule.

"_Good evening Yuki-san…"_

"Ayano."

"_I just wanted to__ check if you're bringing your car…"_

Yeah, right. "I was planning to… why do you ask…?"

"_Oh… I just wondered if I should bring mine…"_

Eiri smirked. "Don't worry… I'll see you get home safely…"

"_Perhaps it's what happens after you've seen me home that I should worry about…"_

The game was so easy to play; Eiri didn't even need to think about it. "Why don't you let me worry about that…?" he suggested in a deep, seductive whisper.

"_I'll see you in half an hour then… Yuki-san…"_

"See you in half an hour…"

Eiri terminated the call and stood silently for a second, staring out across the patio at the silhouettes of Mizuki's various potted plants. He could hear the distant trickle of water, and vaguely recalled a small, tasteful water feature she had installed not long before his last visit here to drop off a manuscript.

Yes, like its owner, this place had a way of making one feel at ease. Shuichi would like it here – would probably feel more at home than he did in Eiri's austere residence, where any mess or clutter stuck out like a sore thumb. Shuichi would probably, in fact, have enjoyed this whole evening. Geisha Girl would have made a fuss of him; he and Manga Boy would have got on like a house on fire… and, when he wasn't hyperactive with nerves, Shuichi could be very charming in his own unaffected way. Mizuki was a skilled enough hostess to know to steer him away from her more haughty or inquisitive guests, and Eiri himself could have kept an eye on him…

Such regrets were ridiculous. Perhaps Shuichi thought that was why Eiri had refused to let him come – hadn't he hinted as much earlier on? – but it wasn't true. Tonight was about Ayano, not Shuichi. It was about what Ayano represented.

It felt a little strange… normally he would feel _some_ excitement, some anticipation at least… and after all, this was all for the best…

Maybe that was it. Maybe he was so busy justifying, he had forgotten why he was doing this in the first place. He wanted his _life_ back – he wanted control back. Wasn't that the point?

"Are you leaving us already, Yuki-san?"

Eiri spun around sharply as he heard Mizuki's quiet tones. She stood framed by the pink light glowing from the lounge; gentle music and laughing voices echoed outwards from the half-opened patio doors. He raised his cigarette to his lips and drew deeply upon it. "Being my editor doesn't give you the right to eavesdrop on my private conversations…"

Mizuki bowed her head in contrition. "I didn't mean to overhear…"

"Of course not…" Eiri turned back to look out over the patio again. "Now I see why you were so keen for me to bring Shuichi along. What I don't see was why it was so damned important to impress Manga Boy in there."

He heard Mizuki's footsteps on the stone as she came to stand beside him. "You heard them talking about _Death in the Floating World?"_

"For my sins, yes…"

"The Partners and the Chief Editor think it's time Merlin Publishing expanded into the more mainstream manga market instead of just the occasional shonen-ai. Nakamura-sanis a bestselling author, popular with the sort of young men – and women – they're hoping to attract. They were hoping to poach Nakamura-san by using his fortuitous engagement to Shiho. The idea was that they might let our publishing house be the one to develop this joint project of theirs…

"Up until now, Nakamura-san hasn't been impressed with our output – according to Shiho, his general verdict is that it's stuffy and formulaic and strictly for housewives and schoolgirls… though I'm sure he wasn't thinking of your novels when he said that, Yuki-san…" A wry little smile flickered across Mizuki's face and then died.

"Trying to influence him through Shiho is impossible – given half a chance she'd agree with him – and I wouldn't think of trying. Besides, as you could probably guess from her little jokes, she's already quite aware of the reason the publishing house is making such an occasion of her engagement and for all her teasing she's fiercely protective of her fiancée. So I was hoping that finding Shindou Shuichi on the guest list tonight might be a better way of convincing Nakamura Junichi and his fellow young mangakas that we're on their wavelength. If I'd pulled it off, there was a fat little bonus coming my way, which naturally I would have shared with you… not to mention the other benefits we discussed…"

Eiri muttered a curse under his breath, turning to glare down at her. "Then why the hell didn't you tell me that from the beginning instead of pussyfooting around dropping hints and talking crap about how damned wonderful Shuichi is for me?!"

All at once, Mizuki's sweet-little-girl manner fell away like a mask, revealing a core of pure, professional steel. "Just why did you _think _I was so eager for him to come, Yuki-san? For _you _to come, knowing how difficult you can be about such things? Do you really think I've got nothing better to do with my time than worry about your love life?

"It's true I'm genuinely fond of Shindou-san; he's a _nice _boy and I _do _think he's been a positive influence on you! You're the writer and I'm the editor – whatever makes you work harder and better works for me! The reason I didn't tell you straight out, apart from your generally contrary disposition and your habit of disappearing when you're expected to do something you don't want to do, is that I naïvely assumed that you might be protective enough of Shindou-san to take exception to the thought of your publishers making use of him! Besides, Yuki-san, I had no idea it was such a hardship for you to bring your boyfriend to a party!"

"_He's not my boyfriend," _Eiri hissed before he could stop himself.

Mizuki stared up at him for a moment, a look of what might have been sadness, or even pity, in her eyes. In the shadowy light it was difficult to tell. Then she cast a meaningful glance at the mobile he still clutched in his hand. "Then perhaps he's had a lucky escape. Good-night, Yuki-san. Thank you for honouring us with your company."

"Wait – Mizuki-san…" Once again, the words were out before he could think. "About our deal…"

Mizuki sighed as she passed him to head back in to her guests. "Well you did show up, so I'll give you a week's extension for that…"

"A _week?"_ Eiri cried, "wait – what about the Sushi bar?"

But Mizuki had already gone.

**TBC: **_**EIRI ON HIS OWN - **Alone in his car, Eiri broods over Shuichi, Ayano, and his plans to regain control of his life... the sushi bar may be lost, but the evening can still be saved..._


	4. Eiri on his own

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, but that doesn't mean they're a couple. A party invitation – and a surprise meeting with an old flame – helps him devise a cunning plan that simply _can't fail! _Or… can it?

**CHAPTER 4: EIRI ON HIS OWN –** Driving alone in his car, Eiri broods over the reasoning behind his date with Ayano and his feelings for Shuichi. In spite of his argument with Mizuki and the loss of the sushi bar scene, he is determined to salvage his evening…

**NOTES: **Thanks are owed once again to ALL who reviewed! An especial thank you to all who have kept an open mind about this story – if I was the reader, not the writer, I might think this was either Eiri cheats on Shuichi and Shuichi leaves him and on and on and on, or Eiri cheats on Shu with Mary Sue… so I'm glad you all trust me! Thank you in particular for such warm and encouraging words about my story and my writing – I am always nervous, and particularly so when posting a long story like this, and your words always make me so happy! **MORE NOTES AT END (IF YOU'RE INTERESTED! THEY GOT A BIT LONG!)**

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_

It was like I was living in a dream. It's like… like… you came and woke me…

Eiri parked his car on a side street not far from the bar and turned off the ignition, but made no move to get out. His head was too full of Mizuki, of Manga Boy and Geisha Girl; of the party, of the lost, lamented sushi bar scene… and above all, it was full of Shuichi. He needed to clear it of all of that junk before he could really focus on the pleasures of the evening to come.

Those words of Shuichi's seemed to sum up what had been gnawing at Eiri for weeks now. They summed up so well the relationship between them – and the effect it had had on the young vocalist. Like most things in life, it ultimately came down to sex.

It wasn't just that Shuichi had been a virgin when Eiri had first had him – the boy had been almost _oblivious_ to sex. Music was both his lover and his beloved. Any sexual yearnings, any free energy he had he had channelled into his music and – clumsily – tried to express in his lyrics. It was no wonder they appeared to be amateurish at first glance. Shuichi had sacrificed a lot of his general education to his artistic muse, not even realising that reading books, or at least consulting a dictionary or a thesaurus, would strengthen his lyrical abilities. But it was more than that. When Shuichi had finally trusted him with his precious notebooks, Eiri had experienced a quiet revelation – namely, that it was not possible to appreciate Shuichi's lyrics until one realised that Shuichi himself did not really understand the sentiments he was trying to express.

Eiri doubted that Shuichi had even played with himself that often – the kid insisted he had, but his first touches on Eiri had been diffident and unskilled. But Eiri _had_ awoken him and oh, _how _he had awoken him! Shuichi loved sex now – in a strange way, he seemed to love it more than Eiri. He had no doubts, no guilt, and no hang-ups. There was only pleasure in it for him – the pleasure of sex enhanced by the fact that he was having it with the one he… loved…

Eiri drove that last thought away. It was just stupid speculation; a writer's fancy, nothing more. The point was that Shuichi had learned to love sex, and to be aware of desire in himself and others. That first night he had performed on stage, all of the sexual energy poured into his music had flooded out not just through his singing but through his dancing, through his stage presence, through the way he so openly let his audience share in his fantasy. It was no wonder Eiri had been unable to resist him when he had turned up at his flat when the concert was over – if Shuichi hadn't arrived, Eiri would have had to go looking for him. The thought of ending that night without Shindou Shuichi in his arms was unendurable.

And after the way they had ended that night together, Shuichi could no longer wander through life blissfully unaware of the urges of his own body, or of the bodies of others.

There was no point in trying to sit down and discuss this with Shuichi. If Eiri had said, _you mustn't start thinking of us as a couple; face it – sooner or later, one of us will cheat,_ the idiot would automatically assume Eiri was talking about himself; that he was bored with him and there was already some voluptuous temptress waiting in the wings. But that just wasn't necessarily true.

Already the letters and emails from fans who had seen Shuichi in concert or on television had begun piling up – soon enough girls would be sneaking backstage, infiltrating television studios or crashing parties to throw themselves at him. Bad Luck would start to tour; there would be parties and award shows; glamour, celebrities, freely flowing alcohol and lonely nights. If Shuichi thought Eiri would trail after him like some bloody football WAG he was very much mistaken, and he was damned if he was going without while Shuichi was away.

Eiri was at least used to dealing with his sexual drives. Shuichi was still dangerously guileless when it came to his own attractiveness. He thought he was usually the one to initiate sex between them, but more often than not it was still Eiri calling the shots. A casual touch on the thigh, a lingering look, a quick caress – that was enough to get Shuichi hot. After that, Eiri could easily pretend he was only giving in to keep Shuichi quiet… to be _nice. _Better that than let the poor boy know how desperately – and how frequently – Eiri found himself wanting him.

Far better to do things this way – to gradually reclaim some of his old life; his life as a wealthy, virile, _single_ young man, while maintaining his… relationship with Shuichi. He was… _fond_ of the little brat, all the more so because since he had met him, Shuichi had begun to evolve into something much more than that. Life with Shuichi was… stimulating. Things _happened _when he was there. True, that included a sharp rise in Eiri's stress levels and in the frequency of his visits to his psychiatrist. But the alternative – to be without Shuichi? It had taken this long for Eiri to realise he didn't want that.

Ayano would help him.

Far better her than one of those depressing bars where he only went to pick up women when he was seriously desperate. He had tried one the other evening when Shuichi had been kept late at NG and had watched with strange detachment the usual mixture of stressed professionals looking for a night of cathartic oblivion in the arms of a stranger, lonely and frustrated corporate wives whose husbands were probably in New York or Paris or London; and determinedly solitary, minimalist players like himself endlessly reasserting their independence. He had seen the men putting the moves on the women and the women playing it cool; the tired, predictable banter, the slow burning sexual tension, and found it all so… unspeakably _dull._

_Yuki Eiri, man about town. _What a load of crap. He was twenty-three. Would he still be frequenting places like that when he was thirty-three? Fifty-three? No - far better Shuichi as a… companion, with Ayano and her ilk on the side.

Shuichi would get used to the way things were going to be soon enough…

Yes, far better this way than the romantic little fool beating himself up when he finally strayed. Which he would. Inevitably. People always did. If not sexually, then in other ways. People grew bored with one another. Friendships faded. Familiarity, as they said, bred contempt. It would in Shuichi, after a few years. Far better this way than avowals of undying love and fidelity he would come to regret when that happened. Better than lies and guilt and the pain of betrayal.

Far better this way than the absolute worse case scenario – that Shuichi would finally come to see whatever Yuki had seen… and long to be rid of Eiri no matter by what means…

Eiri shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling a wave of nausea rise up through his body. It happened quite often of late – whenever he tried to recall the memories he had spent six years repressing. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and began a slow count as his psychiatrist had told him to do. Panic attacks, she had called them when he had described the symptoms; brought on by the flashbacks his mind was throwing up. The very idea of it filled him with disgust, but he had to admit the technique worked. He opened his eyes and reached for another cigarette. He was smoking twice as much as he usually did on an evening like this.

Suddenly annoyed with himself, he got out of the car and started in the direction of the bar where Ayano was undoubtedly waiting for him, his mind wandering back to their recent meeting outside the NG building…

* * *

She had changed. Her hair was now a natural black instead of the flame red it had been when they had first met; she had gained a little weight but it did her no harm – she was more toned, all curves instead of angles, and her legs were as great as ever, most pleasingly displayed by a tight fitting and very short skirt.

"Why… just look at what the cat's dragged in," Ayano had exclaimed in a low, teasing English before switching to more formal Japanese, "it's nice to see you, Yuki Eiri-san…"

"Ayano-san," he had responded with an equally formal bow, conscious, no doubt as she was, of the ever curious eyes of Seguchi's staff. After a few more polite words, Ayano had announced she was on her way to lunch and Eiri had offered to walk her to her car.

"That was quite a memorable night we had," she remarked once they were outside, "just you and me and the Courtesy Suite Jacuzzi…. I had no idea Seguchi-san's birthday party would be so… eventful…"

Eiri remembered that particular party himself quite well – remembered his unwillingness to attend; remembered even more clearly Mika's fury when she had guessed what he had got up to when he had. Evidently she had never guessed with _whom,_ or he doubted Ayano would still be working for Tohma.

In actual fact, seducing Ayano was the main reason he had finally decided to go. He had flirted with her casually before that on the few occasions he had had need to call in at NG and had marked her out in his self-consciously cynical way as a "dead cert", his whenever he wanted her. He had been in no particular hurry… and besides, sometimes the anticipation could be as erotic as the reality…

"I'm surprised I haven't run into you since," Eiri admitted as they reached her car. He remembered he had rather feared she might turn out to be the type who was constantly throwing herself into his path, but he hadn't seen her again after that night.

Ayano shrugged airily. "Oh, I've been busy… I'm not just some junior receptionist now, Yuki-san; I'm a PA to one of the Directors. I've been working in the New York office for the last year…. and no," she added with a slow smile, "I didn't sleep with anyone to get it. I prefer to keep business and pleasure separate these days..." She gave him a curious, searching look. "I have to admit, I wasn't sure you'd remember me…"

Eiri smirked. "Your legs aren't easy to forget."

_And the sex wasn't bad either._

"You never called me…"

"I lost your number…"

_And you were just a little too keen…_

"You never _did_ give me yours…"

"I didn't want you thinking Yuki Eiri was such an easy catch…"

_The sex wasn't _that _good…_

How easy it was to slip back into the usual clichéd routine – what Shuichi's beloved "Hiro" would have called his "bullshit banter." It was made all the more so because Ayano really _had _changed. She was more poised, more self-contained; a far cry from the gushing office junior who had batted her heavy black lashes at whichever NG executive passed her way and swooned like a dizzy fan-girl over meeting _the real Yuki Eiri!_ And soon enough they were talking about meeting for drinks… and other things…

She was still an alluring young woman – if it wasn't for Shuichi, he wouldn't have hesitated to make his move then and there. And with even less hesitation than the last time, because now she had worked her way up the corporate ladder of NG Records, she was much less likely to risk everything by making a nuisance of herself with the President's brother-in-law…

* * *

Yes, Eiri reflected as he walked, it had been easy. So easy, in fact, it had been almost boring. He had given her a just little more bullshit banter for form's sake, and with that the deal was done. Eiri had a date, and his perfect formula for an easy life, with and without Shuichi, was ready to be applied.

**TBC:**_** Eiri and Ayano – **__Yes, it's the moment you've all been dreading! Eiri meets with Ayano, determined to prove he's still a red-blooded singleton! It's the ultimate test of his master-plan…_

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A FEW BITS:

(Hope no-one minds me replying by subject rather than reviewer – SKIP IF YOU'RE BORED!):

**MIZUKI –** I always have had a soft spot for her and I'm glad people like her in this! She of all the female characters seemed to have Eiri's number – right down to his attraction to Shuichi in it's earliest stages – and at the same time she's obviously a professional capable of demanding work from him or telling him off! Soft though I may be, I also tended to feel in the manga she was more like a friend to him than anyone else.

**AYANO –** Please don't worry about her too much (I promise, I understand how people feel! I would feel the same! I don't even like Shu / Ryu fics!) You will see a little of her in this chapter, but she's harmless, I promise!

**THE OCs – **Thank you so much for all the kind words about them! I always worry about them, but so far no-one has been unkind about them. I wanted to have a go at showing Eiri interacting in a reasonable way with people outside his circle and I do love to create new characters as long as they don't take over the story.

**EIRI – **for** Noonsam **in particular – I always found there were two gaps in the story, esp. the anime, which my writer's brain aches to fill. Namely, the transition between Eiri saying "one week" and when Shuichi is still living with him 27 days later (I have two stories about that waiting in the wings so you can see how obsessed I am with nitpicking!), and after the return from Kyoto (in which this fits), when Eiri more or less seems to have accepted Shuichi as his boyfriend (privately at least.) Shuichi is really the hero, so that's fair enough, but I would have liked to know more about what Eiri is thinking and why he essentially gives up on trying to get Shuichi out of his life!

I think we are all in agreement about what Eiri should or shouldn't do! But if Eiri was that straightforward, he wouldn't be such fun! Don't be too hard on him – he's a lost cause, he just doesn't know it yet!

**THE SUSHI BAR- **Don't worry, he cares about more than the sushi bar! It was actually a late addition to this story, but I liked it because it became a sort of symbolic reward / punishment for Eiri and because it demonstrates the selfishness at the heart of many artists (including writers!) The story is already written, but I am toying with an epilogue which might say a little more about the story Eiri is writing…


	5. Eiri and Ayano

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, but that doesn't mean they're a couple. When he gets a party invitation he hits on a formula to get his life back to normal, but will he rise to the occasion, or will the evening prove to be a bit of a letdown?

**CHAPTER 5: EIRI AND AYANO –** Finally Eiri gets to the moment where he will implement his mater plan! Yes, it's the chapter you've all been dreading! Enter Ayano stage left – and trust Auntie "even Ryu /Shu makes me queasy - Eiri / Tohma makes me barf – K-Hiro? Sorry I've just coughed up my bladder" Moon71, the Mary Whitehouse of the Slash / Yaoi world! (No, I said _Mary Whitehouse, _not Mary Sue! Go and look the old bat up on Wikipedia or something!)

**TECHNICAL NOTE: FFnet is periodically chewing up Chapter 1. It reappeared once but has now gone again. If anyone is having trouble, the story is intact on Gurabite, and I will post it to my LJ ASAP!**

**NOTES: **Facetiousness aside, please give poor old Ayano a fair hearing – I try to give all my characters a worthwhile POV.

To **Xedra – **thank you as always! I sometimes think I ramble on too long with Eiri's inner musings etc so I'm glad you like them! I do like to analyse the sexual dynamics between them. It seemed to me after that lovely scene at the beginning of anime ep 3 that Shuichi had discovered the "joy of sex", while Eiri, for many episodes to come, remained rather uncertain….

**Orangepencils - **I'm glad you think the OCs help – part of the reason I like Mizuki is because we do so rarely see Eiri with people outside his family, yet if he was such a "player" before Shu came along, he must have reasonably good social skills! See note below for the Sushi Bar…

**Alaine – **don't fear for Shuichi! I'm not much of a hurt-comfort freak; as a general rule I see Shuichi as the hero of Gravitation and thus the one who always emerges victorious (even if is sometimes dragging Eiri's beaten body behind him…)

**Scorch66 – **you're a real star! I think part of Eiri's story throughout Grav is his fear of being hurt again – and of destroying what he loves. As to the "worst case" thing – quite right! I based that on his his perspective in the last episode, where he blames himself for Yuki's brutal behaviour. I think Shuichi's answer to that logic pretty much said it all!

**Pikeebo – **so glad you're enjoying this! Actually I think both your answers are right – I tend to think Eiri does have low self-esteem, as many commitment-phobic types do. But thinking about what you said, I think it's also true that he thinks a lot of himself, inasmuch as he's carved out an "image" for himself into which a monogamous gay relationship doesn't fit. The contrast between Eiri before and after NY continues to fascinate me, so thank you for giving me an extra angle! You'll no doubt see it recycled here soon! That's why I love reviewers!! **Tamaki – **Eiri is certainly flying too close to the sun, but don't worry – it might be crash and burn time!

And finally **Lilgurlanima – **there are worse embarrassments than being caught by Shuichi! Read on…

* * *

Infuriatingly, even as Eiri entered the bar and looked around for his date, he found his thoughts drifting to Shuichi once more. Unbidden and unwelcome, a memory resurfaced of his reaction to Eiri's behaviour towards Mika that day outside his block, when Shuichi had mistaken her for his girlfriend. Though his crush on Eiri was already pretty ripe, he had seemed quite genuine in his concern for Mika's feelings and in his protest that Eiri could not treat her so shabbily. The little moron would probably have been outraged by Eiri's cavalier treatment of Ayano in both the past and the present.

Whatever happened, they would certainly never get to a stage where Eiri was able to bring women home while Shuichi was there – if he wasn't beside himself with jealousy he would probably end up making friends with them… and they would end up mothering him…and the whole thing would work to kill Eiri's libido stone dead.

That was probably for the best. There might be worse horrors than a jealous or chivalrous Shuichi – some of Eiri's dates might actually find they preferred a night with a pop star to one with a mere romance writer…

Though it wasn't technically _that _sort of bar, Ayano was already attracting the hungry gazes of several would-be suitors while she sipped languidly at a vodka martini. With those seven inch heels and a black dress so tight it looked like it had been painted onto her body, Eiri was not surprised. She rose from her bar stool when she saw him, giving him a smile as slinky as her gown, and nodded to a private looking table in the corner. Ordering her another martini and a beer for himself, he followed her over.

"You look… stunning," Eiri commented quite honestly.

Ayano lowered her large dark eyes and smiled a little archly. "Thank you. I would tell you you're more handsome than ever… but I suspect you already know that."

Eiri drew out his cigarettes and offered her one. "You don't seem to have a very high opinion of me, Ayano-san…"

"On the contrary…" Ayano took one and waited for him to light it for her. "I have nothing but the… _warmest_ memories of you, Yuki-san…" She drew on her cigarette and tilted back her head to exhale smoke delicately into the air above them. "You… weren't easy to forget…"

"Nor were you…"

There was what sounded like a genuinely rueful note in Ayano's gentle little laugh. "I wish I could believe that…" She leaned back in her seat. "I was wondering if we could try that new Thai restaurant that's opened a few blocks down… I'm in the mood for something spicy…"

Eiri lit his own cigarette, eyeing her over the flame of his lighter. "Spicy sounds good to me…"

Ayano sipped her drink. "So… am I to take it it's all over, then?"

Taken aback, Eiri stared at her in confusion. "I… don't understand…"

The woman lowered her eyes once more, her smile wavering just a little. "Oh, you know… the big romance the gossips are so full of…"

Eiri felt a sudden prickling sensation spread up his body. "What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped, far more hotly than he'd intended.

Ayano gave a delicate shrug. "It's been the favourite subject of your many female admirers at NG, Yuki-san… you surely couldn't expect to keep the breaking off of your engagement a secret for long…"

Eiri could not help scowling at her. He took a large gulp of beer before he answered. "You seem very well informed of my business, Ayano-san…"

Ayano actually blushed a little. "Like I said, you weren't easy to forget…" Seeing that his anger was real, she sighed apologetically. "Look, it's not easy to keep secrets in a company as big as NG… office workers like a bit of juicy gossip just like anyone else. You can't blame people for being curious about the President's famous brother-in-law! You being rich, handsome, intelligent, talented and, above all, notoriously faithless, is enough to excite the interest of any red-blooded woman – who wouldn't like to claim the honour of finally bringing Yuki Eiri to heel? The idea of your being Seguchi Mika-san's brother just adds a thrill of danger! So come on, Yuki-san," she added, her voice dropping to a soft purr as she leant in close, "who is she…?"

Eiri drew deeply on his cigarette and breathed out very slowly. He had overreacted. This evening still need not be a complete washout. There was no point in getting riled over a little harmless teasing. It certainly didn't mean she knew anything.

"Who's _who?"_ he asked nonchalantly.

Ayano raised one eyebrow in mock-admonishment as she tapped ash from her cigarette. "Come on now, Yuki-san. You broke off your engagement, or at least that's what they're saying. I mean, nobody seriously thought you'd marry, but why end it now? And they also say that you've been unusually… chaste, these last few months. It all suggests to me that's there's been some woman who's finally… got to you."

"Have another guess."

"And…" Ayano pressed on, "that your presence here tonight indicates it's come to a sudden end…"

"Wrong again."

Ayano's eyes widened. "You mean it's still on?"

"I mean," Eiri said, crushing out his cigarette, "that it's all in your mind."

His companion folded her arms petulantly across her well formed bosom. "I don't believe you," she declared, eyeing him shrewdly. _"Something's _different about you."

Once again, Eiri felt his discomfort rising. "You're imagining things."

"No I'm not." Ayano drained her glass, shaking her head impatiently when he offered to get her a refill. "Do you know, I had _sworn_ to myself if I ever ran into you again, I would cut you dead? I may have been a naïve little fool back then, but… but that one night we had was special to me, and I really did think you might…" she hesitated, a look of unmistakable pain passing across her features. "Well, at any rate, I was wrong and that was my fault. I couldn't say you made any effort to mislead me… or that I wasn't forewarned about your reputation… but I won't deny that it stung a bit when you never called me and I was quite certain I'd never want to go out with you again. But when we met the other day, I… well… you seemed… different. Softer," she added, glancing away from him in embarrassment.

This was utterly ridiculous. He might as well have stayed at Mizuki's party! At least then he might have got a better extension than one pathetic week on his deadline in exchange for an unwelcome dose of off-target feminine intuition. It looked as though Ayano had been a stupid choice after all – underneath all that new polish, she was as much of a teenager with a crush as she had been three years ago.

Well it was too late to walk out in a strop – he would have to make the best of it.

Grinning at her, he shifted closer, letting his hand slide onto her knee under the table. "Oh, I can be as soft as you like… you just needed to tell me that was what you wanted…"

"Yuki-san…!" Ayano protested weakly, but he could see her fighting back a smile. "Perhaps you haven't changed after all…"

"I'm still Yuki Eiri in all the ways that matter…" Eiri inclined his head to whisper in her ear. She was wearing some light, sophisticated floral fragrance, so different from Shuichi's haphazard combination of cheap, fruity shower gel and whatever trendy deodorant and aftershave was currently being aimed at teenaged boys. Her skin had the warm, powdery scent of a woman, not the muskier odour of a man. It was almost a shock after months of Shuichi, but it was not displeasing. "Accept that, and you and I can have a very… happy… evening…" He began to lightly nuzzle her cool, slender neck. "How about we order a takeaway at your place instead?"

"You're very sure of yourself… Yuki-san…" Ayano whispered. "But maybe that's what makes you so hard to resist…"

A moment later they were walking towards the exit, Eiri's arm loosely about Ayano's waist. As they passed a table near the door, two women looked up at them, and he thought he saw recognition in their eyes – recognition mingled with envy. One of them actually shot Ayano a scornful look, and Eiri thought he saw her smile very slightly in satisfaction when she saw it.

Suddenly her teasing words came back to him. _You being rich, handsome, intelligent, talented and, above all, notoriously faithless, is enough to excite any woman – who wouldn't like to claim the honour of finally bringing Yuki Eiri to heel?_

How different Shuichi suddenly seemed – Shuichi, who hadn't even known who he was when they first met, who fell in love with him because he was "him." He could still hear the kid's words in Kyoto, spoken with unshakeable sincerity. _No matter the person you are… you're still Yuki. _Damn. How did the little bastard manage to do that? To call him "Yuki", yet make it sound so bloody _personal? _He might just as well have said _you're still Eiri, _as if he was referring to the boy who had yet to go to New York…

_NO. _This was _not _going to happen. Things were going to return to normal, and no stupid bouts of sentiment were going to change that. No sooner were they seated in Eiri's car than he pulled Ayano into his arms and kissed her roughly. He heard a brief, muffled cry of surprise, but she very quickly relaxed against him, returning his kiss with passion.

Far more passion than he himself was feeling at that moment. What the hell was wrong _now?_ Ayano was beautiful. She was _hot._ And she was absolutely ready for him.

Maybe a little _too _ready…

Well that was her lookout. He hadn't promised her anything, now or three years ago.

_This is it, _an unexpected voice whispered in his head, _once you do this, there's no going back. If Shuichi does decide to start sowing a few wild oats, you won't be in any position to stop him._

But that was the whole point of this! He didn't _want _to stop him! And just when the hell had he promised to be faithful to the little pink-haired pest, anyway?

_I'll belong to you._

To hell with that crap! He wished he'd never said it. It wasn't as if he'd given up all other sexual relationships the first time he'd slept with Shuichi… it was just the brat moving in the way he had… and staying longer than Eiri had intended… that had started the crap off. He had become lazy. There was no need to go shopping when there was food at home. _That _was the only reason his work rate had improved – he was home more often instead of wining and dining women with a view to taking them back for the night.

Eiri moaned, breaking the kiss to bury his face in Ayano's neck. He let one hand slip downwards to her thigh, the other upwards to her breasts. It wasn't as if his body was absolutely refusing to respond… old habits died hard… but his mind appeared determined to divorce itself from it, as if he could barely feel his own reactions. Eiri had had quite a few shallow, utterly mindless couplings in his life, but he had never been as detached as this.

"Yuki…!" Ayano was whispering, her breath hot against his ear.

"Mmm…" Yes, that was good. At least she seemed to sense nothing wrong. Maybe he could still escape from this car crash of an evening with his dignity intact.

"_Yuki…!"_ Ayano's tone was more insistent this time. "I'd love to think that it's me arousing such… activity… in your nether regions… but I think your mobile is vibrating…"

With a grunt, Eiri pulled himself up and dug into his pocket. With a breathless giggle, Ayano straightened in the passenger seat and began to pat her hair back into place. When she caught him looking indecisively at the phone, she sighed. "Go on… I wouldn't want you distracted by the thought of it all evening…"

Mizuki, Eiri thought as he saw the voicemail message alert flashing, it had to be Mizuki, having the last laugh.

It was Shuichi.

"_Um – hi, Yuki… sorry, I guess you're busy… I just wanted to let you know I'm at Hiro's… I might stay here tonight if he's too tired to drop me back… um… hope you're enjoying the party… sorry for – you know – making a fuss… but – listen, say hello to Mizuki-san for me… uh – well… that's it, I guess. Love you."_

"_End of message," _intoned an electronic female voice, as Eiri felt his last remaining scrap of libido wave a white flag before dropping, mortally wounded, to the ground.

"Yuki-san…?" Ayano's soft, sympathetic tone and gentle touch on his arm helped to declare it officially dead. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Eiri muttered, shoving the phone into its cradle on the dashboard, "everything's just great." Then he realised that he had nearly cut off his very last escape route. "I mean – no. That was my – editor, Mizuki, on the phone. Some blasted last minute corrections… she wants me to go over to her office."

"I… see." Ayano straightened her dress and made a great fuss of fishing in her handbag for her mirror. "Don't worry, I understand," she added breezily as she began to reapply her smudged lipstick, "I can't tell you the amount of dates my boss has ruined for me…"

The gentlemanly thing to do in this situation would be to at least offer to put Mizuki off, even though politeness would dictate that Ayano should insist it was quite all right. But Eiri couldn't work up the energy to see this farce to its natural, unfunny end.

"I'll drive you home."

"That's very kind of you."

They did not exchange another word until the car pulled up outside Ayano's block. She opened the passenger door and seemed about to get out without so much as a parting word, but then she stopped and gave him an odd little smile; half rueful, half mocking. "So that wasn't all secretarial pool gossip," she murmured, "it must be pretty serious after all… well, as long as she makes you happy, Yuki-san…"

Eiri turned and looked her straight in the eye. "There _is _no "she", Ayano-san," he told her, and at least he could swear he had told her the truth.

**TBC: **_**Shuichi and Hiro –** __(No, don't get excited, it's not the way it sounds!) Well that about wraps it up for Ayano! Bang goes Eiri's perfect formula for an easy life! While he licks his wounds, Shuichi and Hiro have a little heart to heart…_

_**

* * *

**_

**FINAL NOTE:**

_(ignore if you're bored): As I think I've said, this story is finished already. However, as a writer I freely admit I feed off the ideas of my reviewers. Several have expressed an interest in the plot of Eiri's story, esp. the sushi bar scene. I have a little continuation in note form, basically what happens directly after this story ends, from the POV of several of the characters, including Eiri explaining the plot of his novel and the significance of the sushi meal. When it's ready I will probably just add it on to this story instead of posting it alone. Watch this space! By the way, is sushi a relatively modern phenomenon, i.e. the Japanese version of nouvelle cuisine, or is it very traditional? And what about the concept of the sushi bar? Just curious!_


	6. Shuichi and Hiro

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Oh Gordon Bennett, if you don't know the plot by now go back to Chapter 1, I've run out of fatuous jokes…

**CHAPTER 6: SHUICHI AND HIRO **– While Eiri crawls off into a corner somewhere to reconsider whether his plan was such a winner after all, Shuichi and Hiro have a jamming session and a little heart to heart… until they're interrupted…

**NOTES: **Thank you, thank you all again for your reviews – especially for a chapter which might have made you a bit uncomfortable. Believe me, I didn't actually much like writing it – not because I'm a rabid yaoi nut who goes queasy at the thought of heterosex, but because as I've said many times, I hate seeing Shu and Yu being paired with anyone but each other. Sorry if I made anyone nervous, but thank you all the more for seeing it through! I'm glad you had faith! I am in no way an Eiri-hater but once in a while I quite like giving his ego a clobbering…

But now… from Mr Wonderful to our favourite cutie-pie…

* * *

"…You want the usual right? Shuichi?"

Shuichi looked up slowly. "Huh…?"

"Pizza. Pepperoni, extra hot. Right?"

"Oh… yeah… the usual…"

Hiro lowered the phone from his ear and regarded his friend with one eyebrow raised ironically. _"Ohhh-_kay, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing…" Shuichi lied feebly.

Inwardly he poured scorn on his own weakness. Yuki was right about him – he was about as hard-edged as a jellyfish. Worse was ruining a nice evening – it seemed like ages since he and Hiro had just hung around together and held a private jamming session with Hiro improvising on his acoustic guitar and Shuichi making up the words as he sang them. No K threatening them, no Sakano lamenting, no Fujisaki whining about their lack of professionalism. Above all, no practising _The Rage Beat_ again and again and again.

There was a time, he reflected with wry amusement, when an evening like this would have been his idea of perfect pleasure – but that was before Yuki, back when Shuichi could barely understand why Hiro would sooner spend the evening blowing huge amounts of money showing some giggling girl a good time. It would still have nearly perfect – if Shuichi's worried mind wouldn't constantly remind him of the reason this evening had come about at all.

If only he could rid himself of that lingering image of Yuki before the mirror that evening – he had looked so handsome in his best clothes, and damned if he didn't know it, too. What it would be like to have that much confidence in your own attractions? Shuichi had never much cared about what he looked like; but standing there beside Yuki, looking at their combined reflections, Shuichi had felt young and scruffy and stupid-looking. A gulf seemed to open up between him and the man he loved so much – a gulf of age and experience and expectation and desires. And he had felt a sharp pang of loneliness.

Loneliness made all the more painful as it mixed with undeniable jealousy.

There would probably be girls at the party – beautiful, sexy girls; maybe sophisticated ones who had read Yuki's books and could say clever and flattering things about them… and would be only too happy to go home with someone like Yuki…

Couldn't Yuki have taken him along? Couldn't he have behaved like a proper boyfriend? Just _once…?_

Hiro clicked the phone off and put it down. "Come on, man – you're a great singer but a really crappy actor. What's Yuki done now?"

Shuichi felt tears sting his eyes as he told his best friend about the party Yuki had gone out of his way not to invite Shuichi to. "He doesn't want to be seen with me," he said miserably, "he's ashamed of me, Hiro."

Hiro rolled his eyes. "You don't know that's the reason!"

"Yeah…" Shuichi sighed ruefully, "I do…"

Having secretly pawed through his sister Maiko's Yuki Eiri scrapbooks, he had reached the conclusion there were two types of lover Yuki went for. There were the beautiful, cosmopolitan sophisticates, professional and undemanding, who he would take out to expensive restaurants… or escort to parties. And there were the delirious fan-girls who threw themselves at him and who were nearly always one night stands. He took what they offered because they offered it – it was as simple as that.

Though he longed to be in the former category, if it wasn't possible to be in a category all of his own, Shuichi was afraid he _still _belonged in the latter – and if tonight was anything to go by he always would. Certainly it had lasted longer than a night for him, but the basic principle remained the same – Yuki made love to him because he was always there, offering himself.

"I'm not really Yuki's boyfriend, Hiro…" Shuichi concluded aloud, "I'm just his… bit of rough."

"Oh come on," Hiro chuckled in that gently scornful way of his which always made Shuichi feel he was worrying over nothing. He did not think he had realised until then just how comforting he found it. "We've talked about this before. His image is important to his career – I'm not saying his books aren't good, but he'd probably be the first to admit it's his looks and his way with the ladies that helps to sell them! It's not so easy for him to just… you know… _come out._ It wouldn't be that easy for you either, not really…"

"I'd come out tomorrow on live TV if Yuki'd just say he loved me!" Shuichi declared defiantly.

He half expected Hiro to laugh at him, but his friend's expression was unexpectedly grave. "Is that really what you want, Shu? Seriously? To be famous for having a gay affair with Yuki Eiri instead of for being a great singer?"

"_Singer-songwriter, _Hiro!" Shuichi protested, and they both laughed. "Seriously, I know you're right… I _should _trust him, shouldn't I? I mean, he broke off his engagement to Ayaka-chan, didn't he? He wouldn't have done that if he didn't care…?"

Shuichi heaved a reflective sigh, making a conscious effort to push Yuki to the back of his thoughts. "You know, I wonder how Ayaka-chan's getting along… I mean, I didn't think I'd ever **say** this… but… you know… I sort of like her… well, I liked her when we met her, but when she told me to stay away from Yuki… I… but she could have married Yuki and she didn't… that was pretty cool, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Hiro answered in a remarkably wistful tone, lowering his eyes. "Ayaka-chan is _pretty _cool…"

Shuichi frowned at his friend. "Hiro…?" He had noticed that look on Hiro's face more and more in the last few weeks; he kept meaning to ask what was wrong, but they never seemed to get moments alone like this anymore and though he tried to be as good a friend to Hiro as Hiro was to him, there always seemed to be something going on with Yuki or with Bad Luck to distract him. "What's up?"

Hiro continued to stare at the floor. "Shu, if I tell you something do you promise not to tell anyone else? Even Yuki-san?"

Shuichi shifted uncomfortably. "Well – yeah, I guess… no, I mean, _of course_ I promise!"

"The thing is…"

They both jumped as an unfamiliar melody broke from Shuichi's mobile.

Hiro's expression cleared. "Where did that tune come from?"

Shuichi blinked. "I'd almost forgotten I'd done it… it's a new song I've been working on, I've only got the chorus… I programmed it in so that it would only ring for… _Yuki…?"_

_**TBC: Chapter 7 - Eiri and**... The final chapter at last! So what does Eiri want? And how will Shuichi react? _


	7. Eiri and?

**The Scene in the Sushi Bar Moon71**

**SUMMARY: **Okay, last stupid British-type _double entendre _joke… Eiri has accepted that Shuichi is an unavoidable part of his life, but that doesn't mean they're a couple. A party invitation – and a chance meeting with an old flame – sparks an idea for the perfect plan to keep things hot, but will the evening go off like a wet firework, or will Eiri end it with a… no, I just can't go on. Even I have limits!

**CHAPTER 6: EIRI AND…** So what does Eiri want? And how will Shuichi respond? Perhaps Eiri still has a lot to learn about relationships…

**NOTES: **Well here we are at the end! I do hope you've all enjoyed this! Looking at the ending now, I do wonder if it's a little quick, but I didn't want to make it too self-indulgent. All the same, I have the notes for a sort of epilogue, mainly about Eiri, Shuichi and the sushi bar thing, but also views _on_ our favourite couple from the perspectives of a few of the other party-goers. This was inspired TOTALLY by the generous and supportive comments of my reviewers!

**A FEW BITS: Noonsam: **You and I do see eye to eye on Eiri and Shuichi. I got the impression (from the manga) that Eiri was still fooling around in the early stages, but it's never mentioned after Shuichi moves in. I tend to think if Eiri was still playing around in the early days, it was more of a reflex action – I get the sense from the manga that he doesn't have much respect for any of the women he sleeps with; they just serve a purpose (I think he virtually says as much in Grav Ex? Can't remember…) **Pikeebo: **Don't be tooo hard on Eiri… the purpose of his date with Ayano was more to do with his distrust of relationships and his own self-doubt than anything to do with sex. He doesn't think his relationship with Shuichi will last and he's trying to protect himself. As Noonsam noted in a review for the last chapter, Eiri's hooked – he's just struggling in vain to get free! **Scorch – **enthusiasm like yours really makes a writer's day! As to whether Eiri will come clean… hmmm… well I think Shuichi has more or less guessed in a general sense… less said soonest mended, perhaps? **Lilgurlanima –** yes, finally Prickly and Cutie are together. Hope you like their special moment. Hiro's problem is Ayaka – he was about to tell Shuichi about his feelings for her, but Eiri's phone call got in the way! **Gravitation Fan – **thank you, thank you for such a kind and thoughtful review. I'm glad you liked my Shuichi – I actually find him harder than Eiri; I don't like seeing him portrayed as an idiot, but it's too easy to make him the Angel Gabriel next to Eiri's Lucifer! And (there she goes, whinging again…) I hate it when fic writers emasculate him – he's a young man, not a girl! He doesn't just take Eiri's cruelty and then run away to a new country like a battered wife! (And _Mpreg?_ Don't go there!) I'm glad you think I got the balance right!

* * *

"Of course it's me, moron," Eiri growled, "who the hell else would it be?"

"_But… I thought you were at Mizuki-san's party…!"_

"How d'you know I'm not, stupid?"

"_Oh! Yeah, right!"_ Shuichi gave a nervous, hiccupping little laugh. It was obvious he was more than a little disconcerted by the phone call, but Eiri kept his tone coolly indifferent.

"As a matter of fact I'm waiting for you."

"_What – you mean you're home already?"_

"No… I mean I've changed my mind. I'm taking you to this damned party. Give me Nakano's address and meet me downstairs in ten minutes. Oh – and wear something nice. I know you haven't got anything of your own that would answer that description, but Nakano's got slightly better taste than you… just try to look presentable."

"_Yuki! Do you really mean it? __You're not making fun of me? You really want to be seen with me? In public? Really truly?"_

Eiri couldn't help a reluctant little smile at Shuichi's excitement, but he tried to keep the amusement out of his voice. "No, not really – but Mizuki has something I _do_ want, and you're going to help me get it! Let's call it compensation for all the back rent you owe me! So what's the address…?"

There was no answer.

"Shuichi - ?"

Silence.

"Look, if you're speechless with shock, give the damn phone to Nakano and he can tell me…"

"_Uh…"_ When Shuichi's voice finally came again, it was apologetic and subdued. _"Uh… well, the thing is, Yuki, I… I mean, it's totally cool that you've changed your mind, but…"_

"But what? Don't tell me you've come over all shy on me…?"

"_No, it's not that… I mean, it's what I really wanted, but… well, I've kind of said I'd spend the evening with Hiro, and…"_

This time it was Eiri who was stuck for something to say. It had quite honesty never occurred to him that Shuichi would put his loyalty to his best friend before his longing to be with Eiri, but there it was. Perhaps, Eiri considered with a confused mix of emotions, this was one lesson he deserved to be taught by his open-hearted lover. Yet the chance to salvage something from what had turned out to be a thoroughly misjudged and ill-starred write-off of an evening was too good to pass up.

"Well… why don't you bring him along with you?" Eiri suggested, warming to the idea even as proposed it. _Two for the price of one… that _had_ to be worth a sushi bar at least… _"Oh… and tell him to bring his guitar…"

* * *

Some twenty minutes later – Shuichi having insisted he couldn't get changed in ten – Eiri saw the young vocalist making his way out of the street door of Nakano Hiro's block, greeting Eiri with a vigorous wave and a nervous grin. "Do I look all right, Yuki?"

Eiri studied him. He was wearing what were obviously his friend's clothes – black jeans with a twilight-blue shirt which was a remarkably good match with his eyes. The trousers and shirt sleeves were rolled up to suit his shorter limbs, and even with a belt the trousers hung loose about his slim hips. With a thin leather thong knotted at his throat, the whole ensemble gave him a romantic, almost piratical look which was actually very becoming.

"You look… smart," Eiri admitted softly. _And damned sexy with it, _he silently added, admiring the shirt's tendency to slip backwards off Shuichi's slender but sinewy shoulders, giving a tantalising view of a collar bone just aching to be nuzzled.._. _"Relax," he said, to both Shuichi and himself as he felt his blood heat. Where's Nakano?"

"He's on his way down, but I…" Shuichi looked away bashfully. "I… I wanted to say… to say that… well…" In the end he gave up, glanced warily about him and finally leaned in through the window to kiss Eiri warmly on the mouth.

The kiss took Eiri's breath away. Not because it was the best he had ever had, even from Shuichi. Not because he had been longing for it, or even thinking much about it, because he hadn't. But because it felt… _right._ Disturbingly so.

_Oh… hell._

Enough was enough. If he carried on this way he'd have a thundering headache and probably an upset stomach too, and there would be no point in getting any extension on his deadlines if he was too sick to appreciate it. This one battle might be lost, but there was a long war still to be fought. Some way, he didn't know which, but some way, somehow, he would get his life back under his control. He had to, before it was too late for both of them.

Feeling a sudden shiver of cold, Eiri could not help slipping his hand into Shuichi's as his lover slid into the passenger seat. "It's Mizuki you're really doing a favour for," Eiri warned him, "so the idea is that _she _invited you, right? I just went to pick you up."

"Oh… sure, Yuki…" Shuichi sighed, smiling dreamily down at their clasped hands, "whatever you say…"

As he caught sight of Nakano, Eiri jerked his hand free and scowled, silently intoning a prayer to the patron deity of his father's temple that the final disaster of the night was not yet to come.

* * *

Mizuki stood wide-eyed and gaping in the doorway as she took in the sight of the three men standing before her. It was curiously satisfying to see her struck dumb as her gaze shifted stupidly from Eiri to Shuichi and finally to Nakano Hiro, who she seemed to recognise after a good deal of thought. When she finally took in the guitar case slung over Hiro's shoulder, Eiri was quite sure she would actually fall into a swoon.

Within moments, however, she had recovered her poise and was triumphantly leading Shuichi and Hiro over to meet the guests of honour. Even Eiri had to bite back a smile as Shuichi and Junichi stared at one another with eyes like saucers when the introductions were made.

"Well, this _is_ unexpected," Sato Shiho murmured, eyeing Mizuki shrewdly, "I had no idea you were a closet J-pop groupie, Kanna-san…"

"Oh, I'm _far_ too old for that sort of thing," Mizuki giggled self-deprecatingly, "I just happened to meet Shindou-kun one day at Yuki-san's…"

Eiri clenched his teeth and was about to shoot his editor a damning look when Shuichi spoke up.

"Oh yeah, that's right…" he said cheerfully, "Yuki-san was kind enough to help me with my lyrics one day when I got stuck… just as a personal favour to my boss, Seguchi Tohma-san. Isn't that right, Yuki-san?"

Impressed in spite of himself, Eiri could not help bestowing a brief but gentle smile upon his lover as he slowly nodded.

"You _really_ help with Bad Luck, Yuki-san?" Junichi asked, gazing at Eiri with Shuichi-like adoration. "Wow, that's so cool, isn't it, Shiho-chan?"

"Oh, yes…" Shiho answered, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as they shifted from face to face. "That certainly is… cool…"

"Do let me get you all a drink," Mizuki said serenely, "would you like to try a cocktail, Shindou-san? How about a strawberry daiquiri? Or a grasshopper?"

Shuichi glanced uncertainly at Eiri, who just gave a small shrug. Why the hell not? It looked as though the kid had earned it.

As if he knew it, Eiri's lover flashed him a quick grin before turning to blink shyly at his hostess. "Um… what goes into a grasshopper…?"

* * *

A short while later, as Shuichi and Junichi talked over one another with breathless enthusiasm and Shiho competed with Fujiko to back Hiro into a corner, Eiri caught his editor's arm. "A moment of your time, Mizuki-san…"

"Yuki!" Shuichi called, waving eagerly to him, his cheeks flushed pink both from excitement and the cocktail he had gulped down in a nervous hurry, "come on… me and Hiro are going to perform something!"

"I'll be with you in a minute, dumb a – I mean, Shuichi-kun," Eiri said, managing a small, gracious bow. Grinning, he tightened his grip covetously on Mizuki's arm before she could escape. "Mizuki-san and I have the small matter of a deadline… and a sushi-bar… to discuss…"

THE END?

12/1/08


End file.
